The present invention generally relates to a sectional overhead gate, in particular for utility vehicles, and in particular to an articulated overhead gate of a type having a plate-shaped body structure formed essentially of a plurality of consecutive panels or lamellae members articulated to one another.
This type of overhead gate is used especially for commercial vehicles such as trucks and trailers as well as containers for such vehicles, and include a plurality of panels that are articulated to one another along the direction the gate moves so that during transition between the closed state to the open state travel along a curved track between a substantially vertical disposition and a horizontal disposition. The articulation between the panels enables the plate-shaped body structure to travel through the curved section and, optionally, to be coiled to a roll, if necessary. The body structure (also called "filling plate") of conventional overhead gates is normally so formed especially from steel, aluminum or plastic as to exhibit a stiffness at least in transverse direction. The individual panels should be movably joined with one another to permit a deflection or roll-up of the plate-shaped body structure, if required. The articulation between individual panels is normally formed either by hinges or by so profiling the opposing side edges of the individual panels that the profiled areas movably interlock with one another.
These known constructions have the drawback that the individual panels of the plate-shaped body structure must be shaped by means of respective tools or, if made from plastic material, through extrusion. Even when providing a construction without hinges, the assembly costs become significant. Also, in case the individual panels are made of metal, the weight becomes relatively high so that e.g. roll-up gates require the provision of an auxiliary drive, e.g. a spring shaft with biased springs to enable an opening of the gate. In the event an electromotive drive is used for opening and closing, the driving power must then be accordingly high.